Bitter is the Wind

Life can go on. For some it has to and for some they make it happen. In the touching novel Bitter is the Wind, by Jim McDermott, these statements hold true for a father and son, George and George Jr., who experience the unimaginable tragedy of losing their wife/mother and young daughter/sister to a tragic car accident. Growing up without a wife proves challenging for George. He struggles with his faith, what could have been had George not come along so early in his life and whether it is okay for his heart to move on after losing his wife. One thing that never wavers though is his love and support for his son. George Jr., being so young and unable to truly understand, struggles with the loss of his mother and sister and begins acting out in school. His father stands by his son through it all and gets him the help he needs and puts him on the right path where, ultimately, George Jr. becomes valedictorian and receives a full scholarship to college. However, as young George grows, he begins to be drawn to the almighty dollar and what it can get him in life which he learns can be both good and bad. With a father’s love and others who care, George Jr. must learn life’s lessons, sometimes in bulk, and figure out where the wind will take him.

Bitter is the Wind, is a heart-warming story of the interactions between a father and son after they face horrible tragedy and get older. McDermott has done a fantastic job creating characters that are believable and easy to sympathize with. It is seldom that you come across a story about love, loss, and survival between a father and son that is not overly sappy and cliché. However, McDermott has created a father and son that experience real life issues, face real life circumstances and consequences, and shows how they come out on the other side. McDermott has done a great job of bringing the story of an unconventional American family to life in a way will enjoy from beginning to end.